Interview with a Lanzarote Taxi Driver

Taxis are a vital part of Lanzarote’s tourist industry, and while the island’s cabbies generally enjoy an excellent reputation, there are growing concerns about queues, lack of coverage in certain areas and the complicated relationship between the island’s municipal taxi services. We interviewed Tías taxi driver Nabil Zdah, who has been driving taxis on Lanzarote for 16 years, about his work and the issues affecting the sector.

Nabil, how many hours do you usually work?

Drivers like me usually do 12-hour shifts, five days a week. It’s hard work.

Are you an employee?

No, we’re autonomos (self-employed). Each taxi is a small business in itself.

How do you get the job?

There are only so many licences for each council area, and you have to wait until one is available. There’s a written exam, and various other requirements to fulfil. The car must also be in good order, and that can cause problems.

Why?

Because the ITV test and the metering adjustments can’t be done on this island. A taxi’s ITV certificate has to be renewed every year, and the meters need to be checked and revised- that means taking the car to Las Palmas on the ferry. Once you’re there you need to have the metering adjusted then request an ITV test. I was lucky last time – it only took a couple of days, but that’s all time when you’re off the road and not earning.

Are there any plans to change this?

Not at the moment. There are at least 20 taxis off the road at any given time because of this.

What car do you drive and why?

A Toyota RAV4. Cabbies usually drove Mercedes in the past but the Mercs today aren’t the same as they were. The Toyota is the most reliable car, with good support in terms of breakdowns and spare parts. It’s also big enough for suitcases and three people in the back. Some drivers tried Corollas, which are also great cars but a little too small.

You drive all sorts of nationalities. Who are your favourites?

I wouldn’t say I have favourites. The Irish are the best tippers, and the British can be generous, too. Spanish, French and Italians are not so generous – sometimes you’re lucky if they say “Keep the change”.

Are drunk passengers a problem?

Not really. I’d say most of my passengers in the resorts are drunk in the evening and early morning, but some people handle it better than others. I’ve only ever had one real problem, when a drunk passenger attacked a colleague.

Do you ever have fare-dodgers?

Not really. Sometimes a drunk passenger genuinely doesn’t have enough money to pay, but I’ll usually let them off – if I see them again, they often pay up. But you win some and you lose some.

Do you have to know the island’s roads well? Is there an equivalent of the London cabbies’ doing “The Knowledge “, for example?

Not really. It’s a small island and you learn it pretty quickly. Now that there are GPS systems it’s easy to get directions if you don’t know the destination. A bigger problem is pronunciation.

What do you mean?

Foreign customers can have difficulties pronouncing the Spanish names of streets or restaurants, so sometimes I ask them to write it down. Once, a Scottish guy hailed me, pointed to the taxi in front and said “Follow that cab!”. I was about to say that that only happens in films, but he was going to a restaurant with the people in the other taxi. What we didn’t know is that they couldn’t pronounce the name – we ended up doing two whole circuits of Puerto del Carmen’s one-way system with no idea of what was happening!

Do you think the island’s taxi service should be unified, instead of being run from the seven council areas?

I’d support it, but it has to be done correctly. There are big differences in each area. In Tías, for example, we get good tips, but in Arrecife tipping culture doesn’t really exist. Arrecife drivers are often called for shorter local journeys, and its hard work. Many of them choose to only work on mornings.

Drivers will go where the money is – if things were deregulated, everyone would be looking for airport fares or the prospect of good tips in the resorts, and there wouldn’t be any coverage in the rest of the island.

What about the queues at the airport?

They’re a problem. I tell officials that a tourist who has to wait an hour for a cab after several hours travel is likely to hire a private transfer next time, which damages the sector. It’s also partly due to the airport, which auctions landing slots to the airlines – that means many will choose the cheapest periods, meaning many planes arrive at the same time.

Are there too many cars on Lanzarote?

It’s saturated. There are more cars all the time, and hire cars are completely uncontrolled. At the Rancho Texas roundabout, for example, there are always traffic jams at around 4.20 pm, when workers in the resort finish their shift. It’s earlier now, around 3.30 pm.

Will widening the main road help with that?

Perhaps a little, but it’s not the road that’s the problem. We don’t need to destroy more of the island to build roads and extend the airport. We need to manage what we’ve got.

Are the island’s cabbies good drivers, would you say?

I think so. There are a few younger ones who put their foot down, but I don’t think you gain much by speeding. You’ll only save ten minutes at most on a fare to Playa Blanca, for example. It’s not worth it.

What changes would you like to see in the near future?

I’d like to see them tackle pirate taxis, which are run from WhatsApp groups. I understand it – in Arrecife, there are often no cabs available, so people with important appointments need to do what they can, but they’re undermining the official cabs.

What would you say is the main requirement for a good taxi driver?

Empathy with the customer. I always say “Hello”, smile and find out what they want. Even if a passenger gets in and orders “Hotel Fariones”, I’ll say “Hello”, and they’ll often apologise for being rude. Friendliness helps, and it also pays!